Nothing like a room makeover to get you motivated to do something you’ve been meaning to get around to for 2 years! I posted photos of my heinous basement  a couple of years ago (scroll down to the “TV” room with the couch. See that brown couch?….here’s another photo of half of it:

 

I actually think the shape of this couch is pretty cool, even the brown chenille upholstery but it’s just a little too tired and I’m not cool enough to pull it off “as is”.

I picked it up at a consignment store a few years ago for $50 after the whiff test and the sit test. Our basement has narrow openings and I thought this would work since it came in 2 pieces and it’s mid-century self is small. I don’t know why the furniture was so short/small just a generation ago but it was. Both pieces are still sturdy and obviously came right out of an estate where they were likely covered in vinyl slipcovers for the previous 40 years…works for me.

I wasn’t sure whether I would eventually reupholster or slipcover it. I decided I didn’t want to tear into it and I love the relaxed look of a custom slipcover so I decided to try my first one.

After 18 years of intending to do something in the semi-finished basement room, we finally decided to have it done. I wish we could DIY but neither of us has the time or expertise to tackle it. The contractor who remodeled the kitchen over at the duplex is fixing it up for us. (I really promise to do a post about that project).

Now was the time to start those slipcovers (remember, this couch has 2 halves).

I’m going for a relaxed but fitted cover around the body and I’ll recover the foam cushion separately. I have some experience with those as you can see here and here, so it shouldn’t take too long.

Here’s a photo of my progress…

 

I’m only putting piping on the top of the slipcover part and around the edges of the cushions. It adds a more finished look and isn’t too hard to insert on these straight lines.

I plan to post a tutorial. Basically, I’m pinning 2 seams together inside-out, sewing, pinning another 2 seams together, sewing and just putting the puzzle together and figuring it out as I go along. So far, this method is working well. Mark’s helping a little with ironing and sewing and is more excited than anyone for the changes.

I’ll post a more detailed tutorial (and maybe a video) when I put the cover for the other part of the couch together. I need to see how this one goes together first and the second one should go even smoother.

Since I’m linking up over at Elizabeth Foss’ series “Needle and thREAD”, I’ll mention that I’m rereading a book that doesn’t necessarily advocate homeschooling but it might be the single most influential book in convincing me that homeschooling was a great option.

In a “A Mind At a Time“, Dr. Mel Levine describes and demonstrates how people are wired differently so that they learn and process information differently. He’s so thoughtful and articulate and just makes a great case for accommodating strengths and strengthening weaknesses. He has clinical experience as a pediatrician, taught pediatric medicine at the University of North Carolina and has studied learning and development throughout his career.

I’m always fascinated by how the mind works and this book gives great anecdotal examples. When I first read it, I wasn’t even considering homeschooling but appreciated it as a great parenting resource to understand the differences among my children and to understand my own strengths and weaknesses. Because he writes about real patients in his practice, the book isn’t dry at all. Much of it reads like a series of stories to demonstrate his ideas and conclusions.

Go check out Elizabeth’s post and the comments to see what others are sewing and reading by clicking on the button below.

 

 

 

 

 

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